Adjustable seat for chairs and the like



June 23, 1942'. EATQN 2,287,030

ADJUSTABLE SEAT FOR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 25, 1940 Z INVENTOR.

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Patented June 23, 1942 x I t UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SEAT FOR CHAIRS AND THE LIKE Robert E. Eaton, Burlington, Iowa Application February 23, 1940, Serial No. 320,321 1 Claim. (c1. 155-179) This invention relates to furniture articles such as chairs, sofas, settees, davenports, et cetera, and more especially,'the mounting of and the control of the flexible or cushion unit thereof upon and with relation to the frame of such article, respectively, such unit usually being of seat character but not necessarily being restricted thereto.

The chief object of the present invention is to provide between the article frame and the unit aforesaid, certain connections whereby the unit is adjustably supported by the frame.

Another chief obj ct of the present invention is to provide a fram floatingly connected or suspended unit with certain control arrangements for sway prevention and corresponding functions, as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter.

The chief feature of the invention consists in providing an outlining furniture article frame with a cushion unit and adjustably connecting the latter to the former, and controlling unit action by other cooperating connections between the unit and frame and/or between portions of the unit.

Other objects and features of the invention will be set forth more fully hereinafter.

The term cushion unit is used herein in its broadest sense, to-wit: being equally applicable to a seat unit or a back unit by way of example.

Other objects and features of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawing, the following description and claim:

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a bottom plan view of a chair frame, associated seat cushion structure, and the several connections therebetween, the webbingjstabilizers being omitted.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the hanger structure and its connection to both unit and frame.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of a modified form of hanger structure bracket.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of a further modified form of the structure.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of combination adjusting nut and bolt thread guard.

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections taken at right angles to each other in Fig. 1 and in the plane of the respective section lines 66 and 'll and in the direction of the arrows.

In Figs. 1 to 4 and 6 and 7, ll] indicates a peripheral frame of a chair and secured thereto are the back leg portions or feet II and the front legs or feet I2. In this frame is nested a cushion unit usually of an outline similar or substantially conforming to that of the frame well or chamber arrangement. Thisunit is' indicated generally by the letter A. A covering B operatively bears upon the relatively free end of the unit and is secured to the frame to close, as well as conceal, the chamber or well and the cushion unit. A removable, and if desired reversible, cushion (not shown) is usually provided and is supported by the covered unit A.

The unit A includes a top border wire arrangement l5 and a bottom or lower frame It of relatively rigid character, such as angle iron type. Therebetween is interposed the desired number of springs or coils H and having the desired relative arrangement, that herein shown being a conventional one. The type of coils may be varied, and in the unit may be of dissimilar character whenever desired or required. Herein the turns of the coils are connected together as at l8 and to the border wire IS. The bottom turns of the coils are herein secured to straps 20, hingedly connected at 21' to one 'sideof frame IS. The diverging helicals 22 connect the other ends 7 of the straps 20 to the opposite side of frame 16.

This type of strap support and border wire connection with included interposed coils is old in the art and is not claimed herein, the invention, as stated, being directed to the control and stabilizing arrangements for the cushion unit and its adjustable mounting upon the article frame.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 2 wherein the frame I6 is apertured or notched as at 23. A strap member includes the parallel portions 24 and 25' connected by portion 25a. Each parallel portion is apertured as at 26 and 21, respectively, the former being polygonal to seat polygonal portion 28 of bolt 29 threaded as shown and having the enlarged head 30. A lock washer 3| and nut 32 immediately below portion 25 rigidly secures the bolt to the bracket formation.

Portion 24 is extended and overlies the top of frame Ill and terminates in depending end 33 through which extends two screws 34 anchoring the upper end of the bracket to the frame l0. Theportion 25 also terminates in a downward extension 35 and two screws 36 therethrough secure this end of the bracket to the frame I 0,

The lower end of bolt 29 mounts a nut 31 having knurled portion 38, shoulder 39 and the reduced extension 40. The bottom face of frame l6 rides on shoulder 39. The extension 40 prevents wear on the bolt threads. If desired, when member I6 is notched, portion 40 may be reduced as at 4| forming a groove seating the member I6 therein.

As shown in Fig. 1, four of these anchorages are provided near the corners of the cushion unit. Intermediate anchorages, when frame and unit are elongated, as in sofas and davenports, may be utilized. Herein, two are shown carried by the back portion and two by the front portion of frame II].

It is obvious, adjustment of the front and back pair of nuts will determine the plane of repose of the frame It and same may be level or tilted rearwardly or forwardly as desired. The householder may adjust same to his individual requirement. Adjustment of these nuts, as hereinafter pointed out more fully, may increase the cushion tension for varying the softness, etc. of the seat,

In Fig. 3, a modified form of bracket is illustrated and corresponding numerals of the I] series indicate like or similar portions. In this form, the extension I33 is coplanar with portion I24 and screws I34 screw into the top of the. frame II 0.

In Fig. 4, a modified, and the simplest form of bracket is illustrated. Numerals of the 200 series corresponding to the primary series indicate like or corresponding parts. Portions 224225 are relatively independent, the connection portion 233-235 being the sole connection to the frame 2 E by means of three or more screws 2'34 and 236. In Fig. 4, four screws are utilized. This form, while the simplest, has the disadvantage that portion 224 carries all the load transmitted by bolt 229 and is not reenforced or stabilized as are the brackets at 25a and I25a shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In Figs. 4 and 5, there is illustrated a modified form of adjusting nut. Numerals of the 300 series indicate like or corresponding portions thereof similar to the nut shown in Fig. 2 and indicated by primary numerals. In these figures, the nut 33! includes the knurled portion 333, shoulder 339 and reduced extension 348. The free end thereof is tapered or rounded, as shown at 35!, to facilitate free passage through the recess 23 in member I6,

Either form of nut may be utilized with the bolt 29. Also any form of bracket may be employed, it being noted those shown in Figs. 2 and 3 have the advantage mentioned over that shown in Fig. 4. In certain installations that shown in Fig. 2 will be preferred to that illustrated in Fig. 3. That shown in Fig. 2 has the advantage that the ends are secured to opposite faces of frame I!) over the form shown in Fig. 3.

Reference will now be had more particularly to Figs. 1, 6 and 7. As shown in certain of said figures, there is provided one or more, and herein two are utilized, stabilizers in the form of wire members 50 secured as at El by clips to certain turns of the coils. The ends of members 50 are offset as at 50a and then the free ends 52 therefrom are parallel to portion 50 and connect to helicals 53 in turn connected to the frame I0.

While herein these stabilizers are shown directed across the unit and connect to side portions of the frame I0, they may connect to the front and back portions of the frame I0, or both sets of stabilizers may be employed. Other equivalent forms of stabilizers may be employed.

To limit upward movement of the top plane of the cushion unit, fabric straps 60 such as webbing may be utilized and extend across the top of the unit from side to side and/or from front to back and being tacked to the frame ID as at 6|. If desired, since the unit construction includes a base including the metal strips and border angle iron I6, and the top border wire being connected thereto solely through the cushioning coils, these strips may be clipped to the frame It as at 62 or some thereto and some to frame I0 for these strips constitute the sole holddown arrangement for the top of the cushion unit.

Such hold-down arrangement is desirable since the base l6 may be raised or lowered as set forth.

Any other unit stabilizing and hold-down connections may be employed as well as tie connections within the unit itself as may be found desirable or necessary.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in great detail in the foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character.

The several modifications described herein as well as others which will readily suggest themselves to persons skilled in this art, all are considered to be within the broad scope of the invention, reference being had to the appended claim.

The invention claimed is:

In a chair construction, a rigid substantially rectangular supporting frame, a bracket at each corner of saidsupporting frame, each bracket including integral spaced arms projecting inwardly from the frame, the arms of each pair having alined openings therein, a bolt extending through the openings of each pair of bracket arms, a lock nut on each bolt clampingly engaged with an arm to hold said bolt rigidly to the arms, a substantially rectangular spring frame associated with said supporting frame, said spring frame including horizontal portions having notches to slidably receive said bolts, and adjusting nuts threadedly engaged with said bolts for adjustment thereon and contacting said horizontal portions to constitute supports for said spring frame.

ROBERT E. EATON. 

